Texas Longhorns scouting report: Ole Miss

On the line: Texas, with a whale of a schedule on the horizon (Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Oklahoma in consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 29) ventures into SEC country for the first time since 2004, while the Rebels are trying to protect their first 2-0 start since 2009. A win in primetime would be a big boost for the Rebels, who have just one non-conference game left (Tulane) before fighting for bowl eligibility against the SEC regulars. The Longhorns need a win before the schedule turns over and their tough conference slate begins.

When Texas has the ball: Here’s a chance for the ground game to prove its worth against a defense No. 17 nationally against the rush. The Rebels use an aggressive 4-2-5 defensive scheme and cook up lots of blitzes, so quarterback David Ash will likely have a package of plays he can audible to. The problem with that, though, is it puts the gameplan in flux. With Ash checking out of so many plays against New Mexico, Malcolm Brown — in the game for 22 plays — only got two carries.

When Ole Miss has the ball: Stop dual-threat quarterback Bo Wallace, and the Longhorns will likely leave Oxford with a win. Wallace, in his first year as a starter, is already among the nation’s best quarterbacks, with a No. 8 ranking in passer rating and completion percentage and No. 14 in yards per attempt. Of all quarterbacks, Wallace is tied for No. 8 in rushing yards, with 135 yards.

On the outside, Wallace’s main target is Donte Moncrief, who has 11 receptions for 176 yards and two touchdowns. The Longhorns better hope their tackling issues are shored up.

Prediction: This is a tougher game than it looked in early August, given the extra dimension Wallace has added to the Rebels. And Vaught-Hemingway Stadium ought to be rocking with ESPN in town. But the Longhorns’ edge in big-game experience, plus their ultimate edge in talent, is why they’ll notch win No. 3. Win: 27-20